Athlya aNi Shektachya Shenga chi Bhaaji

Jackfruit Seeds and Drumstick Curry

The summers are redolent of ripe Jackfruit as much as of the Hapoos Mango. For me the Jackfruit memories are of Tata Colony where I spent my years between the age of 16 to 28 yrs, unlike memories of vacations in the village of Thal. This colony is a dense enclave of trees of every kind and so the jackfruit too was abundant. Neighbors shared their jackfruit harvest with each other and so right from April to August we had a continuous supply of 'garey' or the fleshy yellow arils. If the Jackfruit has firm fleshed arils it is called 'Kappa phanas' and the soft creamy fleshed one is called 'Barka phanas'. It is hilarious that when we had cold as kids the snot if soft and yellow was also termed in the same way!

 

Sorry to have digressed but then what are memories without some wanderings. In Thal my memory of jackfruit is watching the huge spiky fruit being cut my Yeshi Malin or some other seller and we buying a slice as long as we vacationed in the village. The slice would be held at eye level to count the no. of arils we would get for the money and also mentally check what the distribution would be among cousins. We never bought completely separated aril. The fun in eating from the slice peeling out the rags and popping out the seed from the sac is a pastime we enjoyed on those uncomplicated days.

Yet Jackfruit memories of Tata colony are stronger. Those were the days when whole jackfruits were brought in by our opposite neighbors the Deshmukhs. The aunty would say cut and clean and share a few with us keep the rest for your family. We would gladly oblige. As evening fell and Mothe baba returned from work, we would tell him he had a duty to do. One of us would then spread a newspaper in the backyard. The cousins rallied around getting the soop (bamboo weaner) in which the garey would be placed later. Yet another one would go into the kitchen and comeback with the oil container and the Kaathi ( sickle ). After everything was set Mothe baba would take his seat on the concrete floor in the backyard much like a butcher. He would carefully oil the Kaathi and his hands. This to avoid the latex from sticking to his hands and the equipment. Then he would give horizontal cuts on the spiny jackfruit cover turning it around to complete circles, each circle was cut off carefully making sure we had whole arils. The rounds were then cut into halves and the yellow fleshy arils would be separated and placed in the soop. Only after all the phanas was cleaned some would be sent back to the Deshmukhs and then our family would be called to eat the garey. A warning followed, "Enjoy in moderation and don't drink water after eating garey."

The seeds or Athlya as they are called in Marathi, would be collected in a pressure cooker insert. Washed thoroughly and then pressure cooked along with salt; to be eaten as a snack or to prepare a curry, the recipe of which I am sharing here today.

The boiled seeds have a hard cover which is peeled off and the starchy seed inside is eaten. Many peel the skin before adding to the curry but I like to keep it on so that the seed does not crumble into the curry and I personally feel peeling the skin while eating allows you to stop and savor the seed a little longer than chomping on it and swallow it without a thought of where it came from.

Portions : 4 

Ingredients 

10-15 jackfruit seeds

10-15 pieces of drumstick

1 large onion

1/2 cup grated fresh or dry coconut

1 teaspoon Malvani Masala

4 cloves garlic 

1 inch piece of ginger

1 handful of cilantro

1 green chili

4 pieces of Kokum / indica garcinia

1 tablespoon oil

salt to taste

2 red chillies for seasoning

Preparation 

Wash the jackfruit seeds and boil them in a pressure cooker with little water in the insert to allow proper cooking, these seeds are quite tough and must be cooked well to avoid bloating after eating. In a separate insert keep the drumstick pieces to steam. Keep aside.

Score the onion like a hot cross bun. Roast it on fire till outside is black. Let it cool. 

Toast the coconut a bit to make it nutty.

In a grinder make a masala paste with the roasted onion after discarding the outer charred skin, coconut, Malvani Masala, garlic, ginger, cilantro and green chili. Save it.

Method 

In a vessel heat oil. Smoke the red chili till pungent in the hot oil. Add the ground paste of masala and fry a bit in the oil. Add the boiled seeds and steamed drumsticks into the masala. Top up with water. Keep the consistency of the curry as you like. We like it not too thick and not too thin.

Add the kokum and salt boil another 5 mins. Let the curry cool a bit before serving.

This curry blooms in flavour as it gets older like most onion-coconut masala curries but this is summer time so don't leave it at room temperature, keep it in the fridge.

Plating and Serving 

I have these two bowls which fit into each other, they also resemble Jackfruit arils so I chose them to serve this curry along with Wada kolam rice and Poha mirgund microwaved and tucked in. This curry is lovely with rice and would go well with chapati, bhakari, puri. Malvani Vade would be really fantastic to mop up this curry. Did you know you could buy Malvani Vade peeth on my Eshop?

How was the taste? 

This  is a wonderfully fragrant curry and peeling the seeds as you lick off the masala gravy on it gives you time to relish the curry even more. Sucking on the drumstick soaked in the juices is something you will enjoy thoroughly.

Have I tempted you enough to collect the seeds as you enjoy the season of Jackfruits and make this curry? Don't waste the seeds and don't waste your time. Make this curry first and thank me later.

Malvani Vade

Mumbai's immigrants during the textile boom came from Malvan, Kokan. They came to the city in hordes to work in the textile mills. Most mills were located in the Parel, Lalbaug and BhaikhaLa/ Byculla areas. That is where the chawl culture came into being. Pigeon holes for living, cramping groups of 10 men in the kholis. The Malvani workers came to Mumbai as bachelors or left behind their families in the villages if they were married. The Chakarmaani as the workers were known earned meager wages for back breaking work of 12 hours in the mills. At the end of the day making their own meals was a huge task. So women who had accompanied their Chakarmaani to Mumbai came up with an enterprising idea of feeding these workers in their own homes. Thus Parel, Lalbaug and BhaikhaLa saw the mushrooming of Khanavali, simply put places to eat.

The Khanaval was a blessing for the workers, for a small sum paid monthly, they got good home cooked food to sustain them in this city. The women who ran them were loving called Kaku/ Maushi/ Vahini by these men. The atmosphere was homely and men were made to sit in rows on the floor or pangats just like in joint families and served lovingly. There would be a fixed menu each day rotating through the weeks. The workers could request for a certain dish of their liking and depending on the majority vote it would be made for them mostly on Sundays. Oh yes and like any family Sunday meals were special in the Khanaval. The Khanavalwali Kaku would ensure that there was mutton or chicken cooked in onion coconut masala in the traditional Malvani style. These had to be accompanied by a fried bread made from rice and lentils and made aromatic with spices, the Vade. The combo of Kombdi Vade were bliss for the Chakarmaani, after which I am sure he went back to his kholi and had a siesta dreaming about life back home in Malvan and even doing a Pandu Hawaldar sequence with his wife.

Later these same areas saw the rising of little Malvani eateries and Kombi vade became popular beyond the Chakarmaani. People from other communities started patronizing these places too. This combo became so famous that many people who had not tasted it wondered what Kombdi Vade was? Is it a single dish? Are the Vade stuffed with chicken? So let me deconstruct it for you, the Kombdi in the name stands for the chicken gravy which is mopped up with the fried bread or Vade, which is the second part of the name.

Many a times I received requests from readers for a recipe of Malvani Vade and I have taken it a step further to give you a wonderful product from AnnaParaBrahma. So here's to the launch of Malvani Vade peeth!

Procedure :

1. All you have to do is snip the packet open. 
2. For 1 cup of Peeth/ Flour add 3/4 cup of boiling water to it.
3. Knead the dough.
4. Cover and keep aside for 30 mins.
5. After this oil your palm and fingers. 
6. Pinch out lemon sized balls of the dough and make a smooth one.
7. Pat out the dough ball into a round disc thicker than you would for a puri. You can also use a plastic paper to pat out the vade if you find the dough is sticking to your hands.
8. Heat oil and on medium heat fry until golden.
9. Remove and drain on a paper napkin.

Serve the Vade with a chicken curry in the traditional Malvani style or for the vegetarians like me any gravy dish with your favorite veggies. I made Suran bhaaji on this day as a mock chicken curry that works really well with the Vade.

A self respecting Malvani swears by Kombi Vade his Mum makes. Now you can have the same magic in your own hands too. It's on the E-shop check it out. Send me a mail to annaparabrahma@gmail.com to buy it now. 

Malvani Kaju Curry

In December we travelled to Malvan, a region in the Sindhudurg district of coastal Maharashtra or as it is locally known, the Kokan.

I need to be writing a lot on Swachchanda God promise, I will this week!

When you travel in the coastal region of Maharahstra you see the abundance of Cashews. The season for fresh Cashews is in summer but we get dried and toasted ones all over Malvan through the year. I source mine from Mhapan a village in Malvan.

This curry tastes awesome with fresh cashews but don't worry even the dried ones work nicely for this curry. 

Malvani curries require a little bit of roasting, frying and grinding and some smart prep. So if you are in a rush divide the activity over time. If you are in the weekend mood of cooking leisurely then you bet this is a therapeutic recipe both for the mind and soul!

Lets get prepping.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soaked cashews or fresh

2 onions sliced

2 red chilies

2 teaspoons oil

salt to taste

chopped cilantro 

For the masala

2 onions sliced

1/2 fresh grated coconut 

4 red chilies

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon Malvani masala or Garam Masala

Start of in the morning by soaking half cup of cashews in hot water. Let them rest over atleast 2 hours while you soak in the bath tub.

Once you are done with your bath and breakfast get the masala roasted.

Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Add the sliced onions and fry till pink. Then add the fresh grated coconut and roast till reddish. Throw in the red chilies. Fry till coated with oil.

Let the masala cool completely. Add the Malvani Masala or if you do not have it use regular garam masala.

Now grind to a paste with some texture. This masala can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freezer for a month.

When you are ready to make the curry, start by heating oil. Drop in the red chilies for tadka. Fry the onions till translucent. Add the ground masala followed by the soaked cashews. Top up with water, the consistency has to be thickish. Salt the curry as per taste. Boil till the masala is bubbling. Throw in the chopped cilantro in the hot curry so that it wilts in the curry and enhances the flavors.

Enjoy the delicious curry mixed with hot rice or dip your roti in it. Delicious!

Need Cashews? Order right here!

Note: This was the first post mentioning the AnnaParabrahma's Eshop. Though I launched with only Koli masala and a little later added Malvani Masala.

Updated on 30 Oct2020 : Oley Cashews are in season only in summer. I get mine from the Dadar plaza guy when they are available. This Oley kaju and tondli usal is very popular in konkani cuisine.  

Saat Kapache Ghavane

Kavita young and demure had just married Shailesh and come to live next doors to my Cousin Vijay’s place. When I’d visit Virar and if my SIL was at work this lady would take care of us in her absence. Lovingly she would help my SIL with all the extra work that came with visitors. She had quit her job and in this remote suburb there was not much of an employment opportunity available except as sales staff in shops. This was 10 yrs ago. Later after the birth of her daughter she was completely home bound, without support of family she managed everything herself. She then started a crèche with a few kids coming in for the day. As the trust built with people she started cooking for the kids at an extra cost and their Mom’s did not have to bring them in with food for the entire day, what a relief for those working Moms. Soon requests followed for dinners. She started cooking and distributing Poli –bhaaji.

Finally on 7^th July 2009 she got her first big order for a housewarming party, she had to cook up a 20 item menu for 50 people. She did a fabulous job with a helper in tow. Today she has a shop at home from where customers pick up lunch packs of Poli/ Bhakri-bhaaji thru the window. On fasting days, Mondays, Thursday and Saturdays there is Sabudana Khichadi. Other snacks are sold thru out the year too along with the Modaks on Chaturthis and Vinayakis.  Alu Vadis and Kothimbir vadi steamed rolls are available that you can take home slice up, fry and enjoy.

This woman works so hard and supports the family in every way. So here is what we are joining hands at.

This Diwali, Annaparabrahma launches Diwali Faral hampers and we are accepting bulk orders in joint venture with Kavita and her team of home cooks. The team is trained on recipes from Annaparabrahma. The quality is monitored by me, personally. The packaging will be done by my creative cousins. Shailesh, Kavita's husband will help with large scale deliveries and the supplies etc. Watch out for more on this blog in the days to come...

I have always wanted to write about this woman of substance on this blog. So here is a recipe she shares with us…

Saat Kapache Ghavane

This recipe gets its name from the technique used for layering, seven times the ghavane with the coconut filling. Kavita learnt this recipe from her Aai. It is a traditional recipe from Malvan made to welcome a guest at home. Malvan is abundant in paddy and coconut so that is what is available easily to a homecook when a surprise visitor needs a special treat.

The skill of the cook is in folding the layers without tearing the ghavane as they are turned over, certainly not for a novice cook. Selecting the rice for the ghavane to cooking them right is where experience plays an important role.

The griddle used here is a very traditional one called Kahili in Koli

Ingredients

For the Ghavane

1 cup Medium aged rice

Salt to taste

3-4 cups Water

For the coconut filling

½ cup Jaggery

1 Fresh grated coconut

¼  teaspoon nutmeg and cardamom powder

Begin with the Coconut stuffing preparation. This coconut jaggery mix is called Chun is Malvani. In a wok mix in the fresh grated coconut and jaggery, heat it. Keep stirring till it leaves the sides of the wok. It should have the consistency that can be sprinkled on the ghavane. Remove from heat and mix nutmeg and cardamom powder for fragrance.

Making the Ghavane batter. Wash well and soak the medium aged rice in enough water for atleast an hour. We choose medium aged rice as we need a medium sticky rice batter which when cooked will give crisp on the outside and soft on the inside crepes.

After one hour of soaking discard the water. Now put the soaked rice in a blender. Add equal amount of water. Grind to a fine paste. Finally add water to get a watery batter. It should be thinner than dosa batter. The final batter should be about 1litre. Add salt to taste and let is sit for 1 more hour.

Now take a well-seasoned griddle, as I mentioned above we use the Kahili here, oil it well. Heat on high. Pour the thin watery batter into the griddle. Start from outside and move inwards. The first time you make a round crepe or ghavane. Cover and cook for a minute. Remove the cover. Do not brown it. Sprinkle the Chun or the coconut jaggery mix for the stuffing on half the side of the ghavana and turn over.

Now here is where an experienced hand exhibits the skill, leave the folded and stuffed ghavana on the griddle. In the half empty griddle pour batter to get a half moon ghavana. Let it cook for a min. Then sprinkle some more Chun. Now the first folded whole ghavana is turned over on to the new halfmoon ghavana. Now you should have half space empty on the griddle. You are done with three layers. Similarly repeat the steps for 4 more such layers of ghavana and Chun. Ensure you pour just enough batter to get thin crepes and carefully turnover without tearing them. When you are done with the seventh  layer of ghavana fill with Chun and turn over.  Put off the heat. Remove carefully the layered Ghavane onto a serving dish by inserting a spatula under the last layer and holding lightly on top with your palm down so the layers do not topple or tear.

While the ghavane are still warm cut through the layers with a sharp knife into wedges.  Press lightly to make the layers stick as they cool.

A single Saat kapache ghavane serves 3 people generously.

Kavita insisted on making a simple ghavana to go with a chutney and savory Matikichi usal. She said a visitor would be served the entired dish and since it is sweet to offset the sweetness would be a single plain ghavana with the savory. Those are stories from the past, it is known visitors were fed in the manner even when puranpolis were made or a gula cha sheera was made. They would be fed with the dessert in the main and only a small portion of the regular meal to complete the celebration. That is the culture to treat the visitor as God, Atithi Devo Bhava!

Mangana

Mangana is chana dal kheer with coconut milk. It was the first time ever I had heard this name at Valaval.

We make Chana dal puran but this was new to me. The coconut milk lends it a very delicate flavor and how it brings out the savoriness in a Sol Kadhi and the mellow sweetness in a Mangana is amazing.

Ingredients

1 cup Chana dal

Milk of 1 coconut

1/2 cup jaggery

1 tablespoon ghee

4-5 cardamom pods

1/8 cup cashews and raisins

Put the chana dal in a small pressure cooker. Wash it several times. Cover the dal with enough water, I used about 2.5 glasses and keep on heat for cooking. Allow 4-5 whistles. It should make the dal a mush.Put of the heat. After letting the cooker cool open the cooker. Mash the dal with the back of the spoon. It is ok to leave some dal whole. This rough mashing gives the kheer the desired texture.

Now heat a deep vessel. To it add the ghee. Add the dal and give it a stir. Add the jaggery and keep stirring till the jaggery is cooked. Take care the raw smell of the jaggery does not remain. Once that is done fry the nuts and raisin in very little ghee and add to vessel of chal dal and jaggery. Put of the heat and mix in coconut milk. Mix well when still warm. One should not add coconut milk when on heat. It might curdle. Lastly add the cardamon powder made by peeling the cardamom pods and crushing the seeds.

Serve warm. Enjoy the very rustic Malvani kheer.

Sol Kadhi

Sol Kadhi, gets it's name from the Kokum used to sour the coconut milk. Kokum is called Sol in the coastal regions of Maharashtra and Goa and a little upto Mangalore. Kokum is a tropical fruit which looks like a plum and the botanical name is Garcinia Indica.

It's a simple kadhi, very good for the appetite and balances the juices in the tummy when they are going haywire. It's even simpler to make when you have the coconut milk ready. The garnish just covers the whole kadhi green but ideally I would love to do the sol kadhi without the garnish as I hate all that garnish coming in the mouth making sol kadhi less sippable. But then if you don't garnish one might get fooled by the baby pink color and sip it like strawberry milkshake.

Sol kadhi is never to be confused due to the color. This curry is very subtle in taste and absolutely refreshing. Most people do not give it a tadka. However in home cooking I have seen both my Malvani SIL and Ghadigaonkar Tai, a Malvani to the core do a tadka. So that's the way I make it. However I have never seen hotels make a tadka. May be it is a shortcut they devised.

I have seen traditional home cooks use Kokum extract or what is called Agal. This extract is unsweetened and is stored for the year and used in cooking. Whereas I used Kokum sarbat  this time which is Kokum and sugar concentrate. The Agal is always stronger in taste and thinner. Whereas the Kokum sarbat is thick and milder, it is pale too. So when you use Agal use less and Sarbat you will need more. The taste of the sourness is balanced with jaggery when using Agal whereas additional sweetner is not required when using Kokum sarbat.

I have exhausted my stock of Agal but did have Kokum sarbat from Mangalore gifted to me by my dear friend Deepa. So I used that instead.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Kokum sarbat (juice)

OR

2 tablespoon of Kokum extract (agal)

+ 1 small piece jaggery

Coconut milk of 1 coconut

1 green chili

handful of cilantro

few curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

a pinch of asafoetida

1 teaspoon coconut oil

In a deep vessel make a tadka of smoking coconut oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida, slit green chili and curry leaves. Add the cilantro to the hot tadka, so that the juices will flow out and will flavour the tadka. Add the kokum sarbat or agal. If you have the coconut milk separate in the thick and thin batches. Then add the thin coconut milk on the tadka in the vessel and warm it up a bit but do not boil. Now pour the thick coconut milk into it and stir to mix. Put off the heat. This dish is never boiled as the sour kokum separates the coconut milk into globules which look unappetizing. 

When using agal add the jaggery after the tadka and let it melt on heat then follow in by the coconut milk and put off heat.

Enjoy the Sol kadhi like a soup before the meal or drink along the meal or like the traditional way make it your main curry. That's what I did, see.

A Simple Malvani/ Gomantak Thali

And A Flashback To Valaval

It was the year 2001-02. I had this habit of writing my day's happening through mail to P. We would chat everyday for atleast an hour, 10 pm was when both of us would be online. I would have had my dinner and he would have lunch after talking to me. Most times the conversation would start with a "Zevlis?" from him. I would think c'mon everyday why does he have to ask me that! My take was intelligent people don't talk just about food. I was right we never did talk only about food but much more. Yet the conversation would begin on a foodie note. I'd console myself thinking poor guy he is missing Indian food in the US. He'd crib about eating pita bread with bhaaji, he didn't know the art of chapati making then.

Well that was the beginning when I started writing everyday. Sometimes he would wonder if I did not have anyone to talk to :)!  He wondered how I could write such long emails. His replies were most time couple of lines but at times a full page specially when he wanted to explain something to me especially after our tiffs.

Then one time I went with my family to Valaval. On return from the trip I wrote to him every little thing about the trip. I simply loved writing to him. That's when he had commented "Keep writing one day may be you will be a writer". I think this blog too is a result of those words of encouragement, actually he had meant to tease me, I think ;). I know my writing, technically is not super but blogs are meant for people like me. Public does not pay to read what I write and hence forgive the mistakes in the writing.

I do not have that email for reference which I had written to P about Valaval but I will narrate it from memory...

The most favorite dinner I had in Valaval on one of those 3 - 4days consisted of Sol kadhi, bhaat, batatyachya kachrya, bhaji and mangana that too served on a patravali and droN (dried leaf plates and bowl). It was completely different from all the Malvani coconut masala and garam masala dishes I knew. It was pretty light on the tummy too.

In the posts that follow I will share the recipes of Sol Kadhi and Mangana. These are two dishes based on coconut milk but completely different in character. One savory, the other sweet. Both are fantastic.

Sol Kadhi, Batatyachya Kachrya, Mangana and Moogache bhajji

Note: 

Malvani - means from the coastal region of Malvan, Maharashtra.

Gomantak - refers to origins in Goa.

Kaalya Vatanyachi Amti

Thali of Kaalya Vatanyachi Amti, Gavar Bhaaji, Rice, Chavlachi Roti and Kairi pickle

In life we meet some people to whom we are not related by blood but they are much more than that. We are family friends, this couple did not have children of their own and neither did they tolerate children messing around when visiting them. I think I have a way with elders. They always get attached to me in a certain way. Especially this couple. During my graduation year she ordered me that I should go to their home to study. I did. Tai pampered me a lot, so much so she became extremely involved in my life. She would be happy when I was happy and weep for me when something went wrong. I was never able to reciprocate her involvement in me. In fact till this day I don't understand it. Though I did try my best to make her happy it was not equal I know that. Life is full of inequalities. The people we love don't care about us and we rarely reciprocate equally the love we recieve from other people.

Tai was from the Malvan region where the dialect is Malvani. Malvan has a rustic flavor in its earth that seeps into their food and language. Today I am sharing here a recipe of Kale Vatane that I have seen Tai make many times. Tai was almost 70 years and ground masala on the pata (flat grinding stone) even though she owned a mixie, every single day till she fell ill for just a few days before she passed away last year in Dec. This Kaalya Vatanyachi Amti is best enjoyed with hot rice or Vada. This recipe is in her memory.

Tai if you are looking at me from up there I want to tell you I miss you. I will try my best to achieve whatever you dreamt for me.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Kale Vatane soaked overnight
1 potato
a few curry leaves
1 tablespoon of oil

For Masala

2 onions chopped thin
3-4 table spoons grated coconut
2 green chilies
1 handful cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala / Malvani masala
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2-3 Kokum/ Amsul

For Koli Style
Add 1/2 teaspoon of Koli Masala

To begin first pressure cook Kale Vatane with 1.5 cup of water until soft or 4-5 whistles. Leave the potato whole along with the Kale Vatane to boil. After cooling the cooker. Open the lid and save 2 tablespoons of boiled Kale Vatane for grinding.

In a non stick pan dry roast Onion, grated coconut, till is smells nutty. Cool and then add the green chilies, cilantro, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin, Kokum and grind to a coarse paste along with the saved 2 tablespoons of boiled Kale vatane. Here the Kokum and the boiled Vatane make the difference in the Kale Vatane curry.

Next heat a tapela/ pot on medium heat and add oil. As it reaches smoking point add the curry leaves and cover. After the crackle subsides a bit and before the curry leaves burn add the masala and fry for 2-3 mins. Now add the boiled Kale Vatane and cube the potato before adding it to the curry. Boil on high for 5 mins. Stir intermittently as the masala tends to settle at the bottom. Last add the Garam masala and allow to simmer for 5 mins.

In the Konkan Kale Vatane stands up to a chicken curry and might beat it too at times so say the Vegetarians.